Ringette U9 to U12 Program The athlete, parent, and administrator’s guide to the Ringette Development Program in British Columbia. BC Ringette Association – U9 to U12 Program 1 | Page BC Ringette Association – U9 to U12 Program Long Term Athlete Development By respecting the principles of Sport Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, we will ensure that our programs and structure meet the developmental needs of participants in each stage of LTAD. LTAD supports the four goals of the Canadian Sport Policy: Enhanced Participation ~ Enhanced Excellence ~ Enhanced Capacity ~ Enhanced Interaction LTAD reflects a commitment to contribute to the achievement of these goals. LTAD has been successfully adopted by numerous Canadian and international sport organizations. It is participant-centered, coach-driven and administration, sport science and sponsor supported. Athletes who progress through the stages of LTAD experience instruction, training and competition in programs that have been developed in consideration of their specific biological and developmental needs. LTAD in Canada Is based on the physical, mental, emotional and cognitive development of children and adolescents, Each of the stages of LTAD reflects a different point in athlete development. Ensures physical literacy upon which excellence can be built and Builds literacy in all children, from early childhood to late adolescence by promoting quality daily physical activity in the schools and a common approach to developing physical abilities through community recreation and elite sport programs. Recognizes the need to involve all Canadians in LTAD, including athletes with a disability. Promotes a healthy, physically literate nation whose citizens participate in lifelong physical activity. Ensures that optimal training, competition and recovery programs are provided throughout an athlete’s career. Provides an optimal competition structure for the various stages of an athlete’s development. Has an impact on the entire sport continuum, including participants, parents, coaches, schools, clubs, community recreation programs, provincial sport organizations (PSOs) national sport organizations (NSOs), sport science specialists, municipalities and several government ministries and departments (including health and education) at the provincial/territorial and federal levels. Integrates elite sport, community sport and recreation, scholastic sport and physical education in schools. Is ‘Made in Canada”, recognizing international best practices, research and normative data Ringette Programs for Athletes with a Disability The LTAD process is appropriate for all athletes and Ringette Canada has made a commitment to the ongoing development and delivery of programs for athletes with a disability. All the principles of LTAD are applicable to athletes with a disability, whether the disability is acquired or congenital. However the rate at which these athletes will progress through the stages of LTAD, and the age at which the athlete enters each stage will vary according to the individual and the nature of the disability. LTAD is a starting point for ALL athletes. 2 | Page BC Ringette Association – U9 to U12 Program Why are we Doing This? It is imperative that we spread the word on LTAD. There has been excellent documents and presentations developed around this program, however this needs to be disseminated throughout our associations and its members. It is the job of the associations leaders and coaches to spread this message. Did you know that 2million Canadian children and youth participate in sport 1/3 of participants age 10-17 withdraw from sport each year Researchers and practitioners are concerned Reasons for withdrawal Lack of fun Coach conflicts Lack of play time Conflicts of interest Along with the great resources available, coach and member knowledge of the LTAD program will be key in passing this along. When conflict arises with players and parents, the LTAD program will be used as a resource for coaches, associations and parents in order to understand why children are developing at their current rate physically, mentally and ringette skill-wise. It is important to understand why Ringette Canada, BC Ringette and Local Associations are not promoting serious competitive programs until age 13. Associations need to ensure that ALL Coaches are informed and review the intent of the LTAD program - especially focusing on the age group and development stage. We need to start to train players and parents at the U9 level that rigid competition and Provincial Championships shouldn't and won't begin until the U14 level. Communicate to all players and parents about the fun and excitement that can be had with the proposed format of the U12 player development program and year end championship compared to the provincial championships format. LTAD is a working Tool, used to determine player and team formation, injury prevention Sport and Well-being: physical literacy and holistic approach, LEARN MORE ABOUT LTAD and SPREAD THE WORD! Integrity - Respect - Fairness - Excellence 3 | Page BC Ringette Association – U9 to U12 Program The Ten Key Factors The LTAD Sport Research points to 10 key factors that influence athlete development. By building sports programs around these factors, LTAD ensures that athletes experience both optimal development in their chosen sport and lifelong retention in physical activity for improved wellness. The FUNdamentals The FUNdamentals are basic movement and sport skills taught through fun games and activities that engage small children and motivate them to continue in activity. While these basics are fun in nature, they also serve another purpose: they teach the essential skills required as a foundation for more complex physical activities and sports. It is important that all children develop a good base of these skills before puberty to optimize both future performance and lifelong ac tivity. This basic set of FUNdamental movement (dance) and sports skills is referred to as “physical literacy” and it includes things such as skipping, hopping, jumping, throwing, catching, hitting, and swimming. Physical literacy also implies that children need to have the cognitive ability to read and react to their sport environment to make correct decisions. For example, in soccer, children develop increased confidence and learn not to automatically kick the ball away when it comes to them, but also consider passing to an open teammate. Specialization Sports are classified as either early or late specialization. Early specialization sports such as gymnastics, diving, and figure skating require children to learn complex skills before physical maturation since it is extremely difficult to fully master these skills if they are introduced after puberty. Late specialization sports such as ringette, soccer, hockey, basketball, and baseball can still be mastered for elite levels of competition if specialization begins between the ages of 12 and 15, but it is essential that these athletes have already acquired physical literacy prior to adolescence. As a parent, you should talk to your child’s coaches if you sense they are pushing your child to specialize prematurely. Children need to develop as athletes before they become specialized as players. 4 | Page BC Ringette Association – U9 to U12 Program Developmental Age If we talk about child development, we need to define what we mean because children develop at different rates. Growth and maturation are two aspects of development that are often confused with each other. Growth refers to measurable changes such as height, weight, and fat percentage. Maturation refers to more subtle qualitative changes, such as cartilage changing to bone. Development describes the relationship between growth and maturation over time, including social, emotional, intellectual, and motor aspects. Similarly, chronological age refers to the number of years and days since birth, while developmental age refers to the degree of physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional maturity. Keeping these growth and maturation concepts in mind, you can identify if your child is an early, average, or late maturer. You can then ensure that coaches design training and competition programs that fit your child’s level of trainability and readiness. You also need to recognize the relative age effect. Research is showing that selection to top-tier or representative teams favours children born in the first third of the year due to most sports having age cut-off dates based on the calendar year. If your child is born near the end of the year, you should ensure that your child is in a good program with excellent coaching, since research also shows that if children with late birthdays can be kept in quality programs, their development catches up and they do succeed at a later age. Physical, Mental, Cognitive, Ethical, and Emotional Development LTAD says that training, competition, and recovery programs should be designed to match the physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional development of each athlete. Ethics, fair play, and character building should also be taught according to each child’s ability to understand these concepts at different ages. Late Childhood: Prior to puberty, physical training should emphasize large muscle groups and basic coordination, and children should be led with clear, brief instructions through structured routines. Simple trial and error is not enough; children need accurate demonstrations of the correct skills. The development of their self-esteem